‘Nations do not accept religion by force of sword’: Syrian Grand mufti

Grand Mufti of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, for the first time, led Friday prayers of Aleppo after the city’s liberation from the grip of Daesh (also known as ISIL or ISIS) terrorist group.

Addressing the congregation of people at al-Rauzah mosque, Grand mufti of Syria said nations do not accept a religion by force of sword.

He called on the armed gangs and militants in the Islamic World to return to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) behaviors and traditions, adding that Prophet never killed one for its religious beliefs, Taqrib News Agency (TNA) reported Tasnim as saying.

On December 15, Syria announced the liberation of Aleppo, with President Bashar al-Assad praising the victory as “history in the making and worthy of more than the word ‘congratulations’.”

Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL), currently controlling parts of it.

According to a report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the country’s pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.